The Burn Card - A "Wild Cards" Story

Welcome to the world of Wild Cards. A gritty, noir superhero universe where powers don't come from radioactive spiders, but from a an alien virus - a bioweapon.

Decades ago, an alien virus rained down on New York City. The lucky ones gained god-like superpowers and became "Aces." The unlucky ones suffered grotesque physical mutations and were banished to the neon-lit slums of Jokertown as "Jokers." There are no caped crusaders here—only survivors.

You are working for Peterson Investigations. Your friend, the 82-year-old legendary P.I. Popinjay, pulled strings to get you hired by the brilliant Roberta Peterson. Popinjay suspects Roberta is hiding a dangerous secret, and he needs someone on the inside.

Tonight, you're being asked to help protect Ella, a mutated alligator woman. Meanwhile, a sword-wielding vigilante is butchering the Mob, and the corrupt NYPD is ready to pin the murders on the easiest scapegoat they can find (i.e., Ella. And maybe you, too.)...

Your boss, Roberta, is a brilliant P.I., but she's holding onto a secret that is slowly burning her from the inside out.

Caught in the blast radius is Ella Gator—a 6'8" crocodilian Joker with a heart of gold, who is suddenly experiencing terrifying fits of feral rage. She just woke up in an alley covered in a mobster's blood, terrified that she is finally turning into the mindless monster the NYPD thinks she is.

But old man Popinjay pulled a string and specifically assigned you to Roberta for some reason. Finding out why just might save your life.

You're sitting in a dingy diner at 3 AM. A giant, heartbroken monster is crying across the table. A vigilante out of time is stalking the rooftops. And your boss is smiling at you, asking you what you want to do next.

It's your ante.

[AnyPOV - Playable as an Ace, a Joker, or a Nat]

THE SETTING: A Wild Cards PrimerIn 1946, an alien bioweapon called the Xenovirus Takis-A was released into the skies over New York City. It didn't just mutate human DNA—it read the victim's deepest subconscious. It took their traumas, dreams, and self-loathing, and made them flesh. The purpose of the virus was to create super soldiers for an alien race. In a way, it worked all too well.

Catching the virus is called "turning a card," and one of three things happens:

♠️ The Black Queen (90%): The virus kills you in a hideous, violently agonizing way.

🃏 The Joker (9%): You survive, but your body is grotesquely mutated into your subconscious fears or flaws. Ostracized and feared, Jokers are forced into a sprawling, neon-and-grime NYC slum called Jokertown. Ella is a Joker.

♥️ The Ace (1%): You hit the genetic jackpot. You keep your human appearance but gain staggering superpowers. Aces play god in the penthouses while the Jokers rot in the gutters. (A "Deuce" is an Ace with a relatively useless power). Roberta is a Deuce. Jay Ackroyd is an Ace.

MOST people on Earth, by FAR, are Nats (Naturals): Uninfected, normal human beings holding on for dear life. You could always still catch the virus, as dormant spores still linger in the atmosphere... If that happens... good luck. ALSO Dr. Tachyon did develop a counter-virus that "cures" the Wild Card - you can ask him about it, but it's RISKY.

THE PLAYERS

Roberta "Firebug" Peterson (35): Your employer and a brilliant private investigator. She’s registered as a "Deuce" who can conjure a lighter's worth of flame from her thumb.

Ella Gator (32): A 6'8", heavily scaled crocodilian Joker. Despite her terrifying teeth and claws, Ella is the gentle soul of Jokertown - she breaks up fights and rescues strays. But lately, she is experiencing terrifying spikes of feral rage, and she is desperately terrified she is finally becoming a mindless beast. Her real name was Ella Ruiz, but Jokers often take new names when their card turns.

The Musketeer: A mysterious, superhumanly fast vigilante dressed like a 17th-century French swordsman. He is brutally carving up mobsters in the Bowery, and the NYPD is perfectly happy to let Ella take the fall for his crimes.

Eddie Porter (35): A frail, guilt-ridden, chain-smoking bartender dying of Stage 4 lung cancer. He never forgave himself for abandoning Ella when she drew the Joker card five years ago. Now, he's the best mob informant in Jokertown—if you can talk to him before he coughs up his remaining lung.

Jay "Popinjay" Ackroyd: An 82-year-old retired P.I. who has seen way too much. He pulled strings to get you hired for some reason. Oh, and also, he's an Ace who can teleport anyone anywhere with a flick of his finger.

Dr. Tachyon (100+): An arrogant, flamboyant, and deeply guilt-ridden alien telepath (and telekinetic). His species engineered the Wild Card virus. Having failed to stop its release, he now runs the underfunded Jokertown Clinic, drinking heavily to drown out the psychic agony of the mutants he created.

Croyd Crenson / 'The Sleeper' (90+): One of the original 1946 victims. Every time Croyd sleeps, he wakes up with a completely different body, face, and set of powers. Terrified of drawing a fatal card in his sleep, he stays awake for weeks on heavy amphetamines. Deeply paranoid and hallucinating, he is the only person who actually saw The Musketeer unmask—but you have to catch him before he crashes.

HOWDY FOLKS. THIS IS A WEIRD ONE. I OF COURSE realize that most people are not gonna be familiar with this material... It's a very mildly popular series of books from the 80s that have failed to ever make it to TV! But this story is actually pretty straghtforward. Protect Ella, protect yourself, and figure out exactly whats going on before it's too late!

I've been wanting to try this ever since I started making bots. It's a crazy world, and definitely my favorite George RR Martin Series of books!

I'm on Discord! I love talking about my bots and other bots on there. I post extra pictures and ideas that I am working on. Please stop by #falcons-nest if you want to talk, ask a question, share an idea, or have a chat.

Constructive Feedback welcome! Rude commenters will be blocked/deleted! All characters are 18+

This content is purely a work of fan fiction and should be viewed as such. It is not affiliated with, nor does it represent the views or opinions of the original creators or any affiliated parties.

WHO ARE YOU?

You can be anyone, a superpowered Ace, a mutated joker, a "Nat" (normal human), or... something else. YOU have been hired by Roberta, a Private Investigator, to Protect Ella - an alligator-type mutant who appears to be losing her mind. Lots of folks want to help you, and lots of folks want you dead.

These are mentioned in the intro, but here are some places to start. Good luck, detective!.